Information Organization and Finance

Value for money for the churches

Tore Aslaksen is part of the team that works to maintain a sustainable economy in the BCC Federation. These days the income base of the fellow believers of the churches worldwide is being mapped. Find out why.

7. April, 2022

By: Anne Lea K. Nielsen / Photo: BCC

Last year the Assembly of Representatives decided to look at a possible new model for donations, in order to cover the church’s local and central costs in a way that is more based on financial capability. The intention is not to provide greater income to the church, but to distribute the current level more fairly. To that end three local churches are currently testing a new model for donations. To give the Assembly of Representatives a good basis to decide whether the new model should be implemented throughout the federation, and also in what form, the information gathered from the test project needs to be evaluated and the income base needs to be mapped. So, fellow believers in all the churches worldwide have received an email with an anonymous survey regarding their income.

READ MORE: Update on donations

“Hundreds of hours have been spent on this project, especially by enthusiastic volunteers locally, in order to find a good model. We believe that the only way to figure this out is by mapping the actual income level and not just by looking at incomes based on national averages”, says Tore Aslaksen.

He has worked with finance for BCC since 2002 and is now responsible for strategy and finance in the Assembly of Representatives’ secretariat.

“We want as much value for money for the churches as possible, and that’s why we are working at all levels to operate as efficiently and purposefully as possible. This is also one of the reasons that we have organized ourselves as a federation.”

READ MORE: Organization: The BCC Federation

For Aslaksen, the income mapping is an important part of a larger strategic picture.

“We are a forward-thinking and dynamic church and have a lot of experience with being active in the cause of the kingdom of God. At the same time, we have worked with an awareness of good financial management at all levels, and we want everyone who wishes to contribute to have the opportunity to do so.”

It looks like the new model has been well-received, and over the first three days about 30% have filled out the survey.